Best Of All Possible Worlds
by Gothic984
Summary: Lucas tries to focus more on Caleb, while Gail has to deal with the extra surveillance while trying to get her investigation back on track.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own any American Gothic characters, this is a work of fan fiction. This story is a continuation of my previous stories Emotion, Old Friends, Family, Difficult Decisions, Reflection, Spirit, Acceptance, Whole Again, Homecoming, Oh Father, Birthday Surprises, Misguided Feelings, New Year, Picture Perfect, Kinship, Big River, Sunday Morning Coming Down and To Beat The Devil.

It was a calm Spring evening in Trinity SC, the leaves on the trees were still and the streets were quiet. Merlyn Ann Temple wandered around aimlessly with Rocky wearing a short floral cream dress and a white pair of pumps that she had bought with her wages. She needed some time alone with her thoughts to contemplate how best to deal with the members of her family who had been corrupted by Lucas Buck and she found no-one ever challenged her when she requested to take Rocky out for a walk.

Merlyn had been worried about both Caleb and Gail, ever since she had witnessed the change in their behaviors. Caleb had been looking for a fight ever since he had done something to Earl the previous week and Gail was just something else. She still felt like she had a strong bond with her cousin and could sense the darkness within her. Gail was being more bold recently and outwardly challenging Lucas, which was dangerous and very stupid in her opinion.

Ever since Gail wrote an article about four staff members of Juniper House willing to testify to Billy Peele's innocence, Lucas had been unusually tolerable. Merlyn knew what the man was capable of more than most and she was not fooled by his apparent acceptance of the way his game with Billy was playing out. The fact that he was not outwardly rising to Gail's disobedience was concerning and this put Merlyn on edge.

Lucas had not yet released Billy and he was still incarcerated at the Sheriff's Station, she knew Gail would push the matter and Lucas did not play well when he lost control of the pawns on the board. With all that was going on Merlyn had chosen to try to remain neutral, at least until she understood more about the powers that were at play here; however, it was proving difficult with Lucas not being the only one that she had to watch out for these days.

She sighed to herself and knelt down to give Rocky an affectionate stroke. 'At least I know what I can expect from you boy' she said aloud and smiled when the dog licked her cheek.

'I should think you'd know what you can expect from me by now' Gail said as she approached her cousin, with Gideon walking by her side.

Rocky let out a low growl at the other dog then moved his nose closer to inspect Gideon when he just walked past, unfazed by Rocky.

Merlyn stood up and brushed some dirt off her knees. 'I'd like to think I can expect the cousin who has a connection with me, rather than the dark one who parades around with this inhuman mutt'

Gail shook her head at Merlyns judgmental comment, then leaned down to stroke Gideon and Rocky. 'I'd love to parade around with my original mutt if someone else wasn't hogging him all the time...Do you even remember how I initially got that dog?'

Merlyn inhaled deeply to hide her irritation, she had ignored the fact that Rocky was a present from Lucas and chose to look at him as her ray of light in this dark town. 'Sometimes good things can come from a questionable act' Merlyn shrugged.

Gail laughed and regarded her cousin carefully. 'That act was sentimental, not questionable and you'll do well to remember who Rocky truly belongs to...Now why are you out here all alone?'

Merlyn sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. 'I need some peace and quiet to think is all'

Gail nodded and looked at her suspiciously. 'You're a teenage girl, you shouldn't be spending so much time alone. Besides, we're not your problem to solve' she said knowingly.

Merlyn pulled Rocky's lead lightly and began to walk past her cousin. 'I don't know what you're talkin' about Gail' she lied and continued walking down the road, ignoring Gail's irritated glance.

'It appears that girl is as stubborn as the rest of the women in her family' Lucas said as he came out from behind a tree close by.

Gail let out a long sigh and watched Merlyn carry on down the street. 'That girl is no concern of yours and you better leave her alone' she ordered, then started to walk past him with Gideon.

Lucas ignored Gideon's growls and chose to walk with his Love. 'I'm not interested in that girl, you've made damn sure that all my attention is on you Darlin''

Gail forced a smile to hide her irritation, he had ensured she was well watched ever since the Juniper staff visited the Sheriff's Station and it was making it hard for her to uncover any further evidence for Billy's case. 'As the object of your affection Sheriff, I would politely suggest that your attention be awarded to a different target' she said sweetly and turned into the park.

Lucas continued to follow her into the quiet park, he could sense a few people deeper in the area; however, they were alone for the time being. 'Unfortunately, I have nothing more interestin' to focus my attention on Love...You brought this treatment on yourself'

Gail stopped and turned to face him fully. 'Oh please, so I do one little thing and this warrants you monitoring my every move?' she asked irritated.

'That's how it works in my town Miss Emory...' he said closing the distance between them, '...If you choose to outwardly defy me, then there are goin' to be consequences'

Gail stared at him defiantly, she could not experiment with her darkness or try to find more information with him monitoring her so closely; however, he was right and she had brought this on herself with the action she had taken to help Billy, especially when she knew her true self intrigued him so much. 'You know what? Bring it on Sheriff...Let's see how long your surveillance can keep up' she challenged, then walked off with Gideon following close beside her.

Lucas watched her go and shook his head. Between Merlyns quiet contemplation and Gail's open defiance, he had his hands full with the women in this family.

* * *

Caleb sat on the front porch waiting for his family to return, Gail had chosen to look for Merlyn after she had been gone for over an hour with Rocky and he was enjoying some time alone to catch up on his reading. He had continued delving into the horrors of Nazi Germany after he had initially been given a book from Abe to read and he found himself getting agitated when people tried to take his attention away from his research.

'Well prepare yourself for the interruptions son...' Lucas said as he leaned against the porch rail, '...I do believe the girls are on their way home as we speak'

Caleb sighed, he loved his family; however, they always seemed to be around lately. He would not mind if they were doing anything interesting but they were just there, existing for the sake of existing.

'You know there wouldn't be any interruptions at my place don't you?' Lucas asked casually. He had not been allowed to spend as much time with Caleb over the past month, due to his stunt with Billy Peele. Gail had been performing her usual duties, albeit not as often; however, she had ensured Caleb was always minded by either Merlyn, Harvard, or his oldest friend Abraham these days.

Lucas had been disappointed with his old friend, especially as Abe knew better than to get involved with his business; however, he would not let his anger show and it was about time things got back to normal.

Caleb looked up from his book and glanced at Lucas suspiciously, his actions with Doctor Peele had caused Gail to stop allowing him to stay over at Lucas' place so this conversation was a surprise. Before he discovered his new found interest, he was going to attempt to convince Gail to let the visits continue more frequently; however, he got way laid with his current research. 'I doubt Gail would be happy if I stayed at your place, especially with Doctor Peele still locked up' he said disappointingly.

Lucas had been stalling Billy-boys case until he could figure out a way to get the Juniper House employees to retract their statements. He was not ready to lay down arms just yet as the battle may still be won; however, the delay tactics were infuriating his Love, which resulted in her refusing to stay at his place with Caleb. 'That ol' cousin of yours is stubborn, but I don't believe she would ever intentionally pull you into our little game son...I'm sure if you really wanna stay somewhere she couldn't hold it against you, you are only a child who may want to spend time with his father after all' Lucas suggested cunningly.

Caleb nodded to show his understanding, Gail had never outright refused his request she had just made excuses as to why she could not honor them at that time. He closed his book and stood up, then approached his father. 'Do I still have clothes at your place?'

'Yes you do' Lucas smiled.

'And you'll give me some time alone?' Caleb asked.

'That house of mine was built for privacy son' he agreed.

Caleb smiled and picked up his keys from the porch table. 'Alright, let's go then...but you have to inform the girls'

Lucas nodded and signaled for Caleb to go to his car. He would take pleasure in informing his Love that the boy had chosen him once again.

* * *

Billy stood pacing in his cell, attempting to ascertain the best way to move forward. No visitors had been allowed since Selena's unexpected visit the previous week and Lucas had been tight lipped about what was happening with his trial.

Selena had told him that Gail would be visiting him and that he needed to be ready to follow her instructions; however, it had been just over a week and he had not seen her. Billy was sick of people not listening to his wishes and did not want his friend interfering with the course he had chosen to take.

'Too late for that' Gail said approaching the cell and forced a smile to hide her anger at being brought into this situation.

Billy smiled back at his friend, he could see through her false exterior and could not hold in his laugh. 'You're mad at me when you keep going against my wishes?' he asked in disbelief.

Gail regarded him carefully, she would have to try harder next time to hide her true feelings. 'I'm mad at you because you stupidly entered a guilty plea when you know full well this situation is anything but conventional...I mean what the hell were you thinking Billy? You can't be this stupid'

Billy walked to the front bars of the cell and shook his head. 'This is none of your business Gail...The actions I took resulted in people dying' he yelled in frustration.

'Yeah well the actions I took on your behalf will probably do the same' she snapped and ran her hand through her long brown hair in exasperation.

Billy regarded his friend suspiciously, 'What did you do Gail?' he asked concerned.

Gail laughed and shook her head. 'Nothing that you need to concern yourself with Billy...' she replied irritably, '...My actions are my own and whatever happens now, well I'll just have to live with it won't I?'

'I didn't ask you to...'

'No you didn't, but I had no choice seen as you basically handed Lucas the noose to hang you with' Gail interjected angrily. Her feelings on the matter were precisely the reason why she had not visited him sooner.

Her anger towards her friend was beginning to grow, she had not wanted to show her cards to Lucas and had tried so hard to hide the true extent of her darkness; however, Billy's lapse of intelligence had forced her hand. She could not stand by and allow Lucas to damn another one of her friends like she had done with Matt Crower, so she was forced to step in.

Gail watched Billy turn away from her to hide his anger at the situation. They were now linked in this together so she took a deep breath to calm herself, acting emotionally would not help the matter and she needed to regain control of herself. 'Look, what's done is done. You can't change the course in which this is playing out, so you need to get over this self loathing and help me figure out the best way forward here' she tried to reason.

Billy let out a long sigh and turned towards his friend, no-one was telling him anything about what was going on and he hated being in the dark; however, Gail had done something to help him and judging by his lack of visits to the Courthouse, whatever she had done had slowed down the trial process. 'I wanna know what you did Gail, I can't think straight until you tell me' he sighed.

Gail rolled her eyes and shook her head. 'I just convinced some of your staff to be honest about your patients, that's all'

Billy narrowed his eyes at her and laughed. 'That's all? Lucas had several air tight statements to convict me Gail, that's clearly not all'

Gail stepped closer to the bars and took his hand in hers, she had been careful not to get too close to him since his misguided feelings a few months earlier; however, his defiance was going on too long and she was getting bored of this. She allowed her darkness to come to the surface momentarily, to give her some clarity into the matter at hand. 'Do you trust me?' she asked sweetly.

Billy felt a warmth flow through him when their hands touched, her presence was suddenly calming to him and he took a deep breath to push down his desire for her. 'You know I do...Gail I nee...' he started, then ceased talking when her finger touched his lips gently.

'You don't need anything from me Billy, strike the thoughts from your mind and focus...If you trust me, you'll stop asking questions and allow me to help you' she said in a soft tone, sensing his acceptance of her.

Billy stared deeply into her eyes, he could feel his control diminishing and being replaced by her. He opened himself up to the intrusion and allowed her in, taking comfort in the calmness that flowed threw his body.

Gail smiled and closed her eyes, her darkness was in full control and she could not stop it now even if she wanted to. She took away all his doubts and guilt, then replaced it with unwavering trust. When she opened her eyes, she felt his resolve soften and released his hands. 'I'm going to go now...I want you to think long and hard about how the incident in question went down'

Billy nodded obediently and stepped back until he sensed he was close to his bed, then sat down and continued to watch her with unwavering loyalty.

Gail pushed her darkness back down and regarded her friend curiously. Lucas would not be happy at her continued interference; however, she had chosen to step into the game and she could not turn back now.

-To Be Continued-


	2. Chapter 2

Matt Crower sat behind his desk looking through Judith Temple's medical records, his shift had finished an hour ago but his old intrigue into the matter had resurfaced recently and he felt the need to revisit the tragedy. He should know better than to dig up the past, as his reluctance to let certain matters with Caleb's family lie had taken him to a dark place previously; however, he was confident that he had enough people surrounding him who would spot any negative change that came over him.

'I for one would' Merlyn said, subconsciously reading his mind as she entered the office quietly.

Matt looked up from the file he was reading and smiled warmly at the girl, he had not expected to see her today and this was a pleasant surprise. 'Hey there...how are you?' he asked standing up from behind his desk.

Merlyn smiled, she had accidentally read his mind and revealed this to him; however, he appeared to be ignoring her previous comment. 'I'm good thank you. I was bored and was walking with Rocky for a while when I realized I was close to the hospital...I hope I'm not intrudin''

Matt shook his head, he had been spending a lot of time with this girl recently and had come to depend on her pleasant company of late. 'Never...does Gail know you're here? It's a little late for you to be out walking alone'

Merlyn shrugged, 'Gail's busying herself with something relating to Billy...She warned me to keep out of the firin' line on that one, so I've just been wanderin' about'

Matt laughed and signaled for M to sit down on the chair in front of his desk, while he perched himself on the desk comfortably. 'I've noticed our Sheriff doesn't appear to have taken to you much, so she's made a good call on that one'

Merlyn laughed, 'I couldn't care less about Lucas Buck and I'm certainly not afraid of him'

Matt shook his head, she was as stubborn as Gail. 'Let's drop the subject of our sociopathic Sheriff...Where did you dump Rocky?' he asked curiously.

'He's tied up outside'

'Alright then...well I'm done here so what do you say we start the long trek back to your home?' he suggested.

Merlyn smiled, she was hoping to spent some time with Matt and it appeared she was getting her wish. 'I'd like that...If you're finished here then you lead the way Doctor'

* * *

Gail sat in her office staring at the blank white screen, she had come to work after returning home to an unexpected note from Lucas and had opened a Word document in an attempt to write something; however, her mind had gone blank. She was trying to push down her anger at the thought of Caleb going against her wishes and choosing to stay at the Buck Mansion, but she could feel her darkness stirring inside of her and it was affecting her concentration.

A knock at her office door took her out of her thoughts and she glanced at her Editor Mark, who was standing with his arms crossed leaning on the door. 'Not that I don't enjoy seeing you work, but isn't it a little late for you to be here Gail?'

Gail sighed, then stood up from her desk and walked towards the large window in her office which peered out into the street below. She had so many facades she had to display these days that she was becoming impatient with unexpected visits from people. 'Is there a law against a girl working these days?' she said irritably and stared at the quiet street below.

Mark watched Gail curiously, he had witnessed Christine Emory display this exact same demeanor just before she published an article which would potentially anger a lot of people and was starting to see the resemblance in his co-worker. 'I'm sure the Sheriff would love to put a law against your stories being published, with the way you've been using the paper to toy with him recently' he said knowingly.

Gail glanced over her shoulder and regarded him for a moment, then shrugged off the comment and continued staring out of the window. 'What do you care what I use the paper for? My stories are the truth and they sell...isn't that why you went out of your way to employ me anyway?'

Mark laughed and entered the office fully. Gail had fast become his lead Reporter, much to the annoyance of her colleagues and he would print a story on paint drying if she was the one who wrote it. Residents in Trinity had taken well to an Emory writing for the paper again and she had them all eating out of her hand, which made her very valuable. 'You know your worth here Gail and I'm not here to challenge that...I'm just a little concerned for my lead Reporter when I see her locked away in her office well after business hours, especially when she's just staring at a computer screen'

Gail rolled her eyes and shook her head, she was getting bored with this conversation and could feel her darkness clawing to be released. 'Are you hungry?' she asked sweetly, as she turned around and leaned against the window.

'I was leaving to head home for my dinner...what did you have in mind?' Mark asked curiously.

Gail could sense his curiosity and walked towards her desk to grab her bag. 'Well I'm not hungry, but I suppose we shouldn't drink on an empty stomach' she said as she walked past him confidently.

Mark knew his wife would not be impressed if he chose going out with this beautiful woman above going home to her and their children; however, there was an air of mischief and fun which radiated off Gail at this moment in time, and he could not resist the urge to follow her.

Gail smiled knowingly as she sensed Mark following not too far behind her, this stunt was more characteristic of Selena; however, if Lucas wanted to involve her cousin in this little power play, then she would not hesitate to bring in her own players.

* * *

Lucas sat on his porch chair with a bottle of red wine and two glasses in front of him, admiring the calmness of his garden. He had been true to his word and allowed Caleb the space he needed to get into his book; however, it was now late in the evening and he had expected his Love to have joined them by now, to attempt to take her cousin back.

The boy seemed content with being here and Lucas had begun to truly consider how it would be if his son lived with him; however, he knew Gail would attempt to interfere with his plans. He was confident that he could convince her over to his side fully, but it would be more difficult now that she had accepted Merlyn Ann into her life.

Lucas took a sip of wine, then closed his eyes and opened his minds eye to his town that surrounded him. People did not realize that his home was built in the center of Trinity, all he had to do was close his eyes and concentrate, then his minds eye would move outward like a pulse and he would be able to sense whoever he chose.

He did not trust the inaction of his Love with how defiant she had been of late; therefore, he concentrated hard to find her current location. Although she believed she could shield herself from him, he was strong and his town would never allow her to be fully shielded. There was a faint haze in his favorite fish restaurant and he knew instantly that it was her, he opened his minds eye fully and discovered she was not alone.

Caleb came out of the door and regarded Lucas suspiciously, as the man sat with is eyes closed. 'Have you heard from Gail or Merly?' he asked, hoping Lucas would not be angry at the intrusion.

Lucas gave an irritated smile and opened his eyes, he applauded Gail's initiative and knew she was baiting him. Did he remain here with his son as planned, or go to her and her mystery companion? Caleb's interruption had disrupted his concentration, which meant he did not uncover who she had been with; however, he had sensed it was a man. He took a deep breath and shook his head, this defiance of hers was starting to become an annoyance. 'I told the girls where you are son, if they don't chose to get in touch well we'll just have to assume that these visits are OK with them'

Caleb stared out into the garden, admiring the vastness of the place. He could sense Lucas' irritation and it did not take a genius to guess the cause of it. 'You wanna go find her don't you?' he asked knowingly.

Lucas shook his head, he would not be controlled or baited by a woman. This was his town and it was about time his Love accepted that. 'Go finish your book son, we don't need to go anywhere tonight' he decided.

Caleb sighed, then shrugged and stood up. He could sense the mischief in Lucas and did not want to get involved. 'You do what you want, as long as it don't come back on me'

Lucas stood up and patted his boy on the shoulder. 'I'd never allow anythin' to come bad on you son' he smiled, then led him into his home.

* * *

Gail sat across from Mark on a small table on the Pier. She had eaten her salad slowly expecting a visit from Lucas; however, when the visit did not come, she chose to order some drinks and sat out on the Pier for all to see.

Lucas was a jealous and possessive man, she knew this and his ego would not be able to stand the thought of her stepping out with another man for long. Billy was her usual taunt; however, as her lover had chosen to take away the devil he knew, she would happily introduce another man into the fold.

'So, this is nice' Mark said, taking a large sip of his beer.

Gail forced a smile and finished off her glass of wine, she had become bored of Marks presence over an hour ago; however, her darkness would not allow her to back down now, it was just a shame it was her boss getting tangled up in this. 'Would you like another drink?' she asked, looking for any excuse to get some space from her present company and got up from the table when he nodded.

Mark watched Gail leave and took another large sip of his beer. He suddenly felt something come over him and appeared to lose control of his body, it was as though he was pushed far back in his subconscious and something took over him. When Gail came back with their drinks, he gave a charming smile and stood up. He took both drinks off her, placed them down on the table carefully then gently took her arm and led her around the back of a closed food cart.

Gail regarded Mark curiously as he led her away from prying eyes, she glanced at the river behind her with her usual admiration then turned her focus back to her boss. 'Is everything alright?' she asked, unsure as to what was going on.

Marks smile grew wider and he pushed Gail gently against the Pier rail. 'Oh everything's just fine Darlin'' he said in a voice unlike his own, then began running his fingers up her bare legs just below her short skirt.

Gail sensed the change in Mark and was about to force his hand off her leg, when her darkness pushed itself to the surface and restricted her movements. Her darkness allowed Mark to continue caressing her leg, then move his hands underneath her skirt.

Mark leaned down and kissed her neck softly, then squeezed her leg gently. He did not know what had come over him as he loved his wife and had not regarded Gail in this way; however, he could not stop himself from the current actions he was taking.

Gail closed her eyes in disgust at what she was allowing and tried to trust the presence within her, suddenly she felt Marks hand removed from the inside of her thigh and heard a loud splash as his body entered the water below. Gail stared at Lucas in disbelief, then turned her attention to her boss who he had just been thrown over the Pier rail.

Lucas watched Gail and tried to pull back his rage. He had given Mark the push to make this little outing uncomfortable for his Love, expecting that she would have to force him off her; however, he had not foreseen that she would allow his advances to happen and he had not been able to control his fit of rage any longer. 'This is on you Love' he whispered accusingly, then turned away to leave.

'Don't you dare turn away from this Lucas! If he drowns I swear to God I'll...'

'You'll do what Gail?' he goaded.

Gail saw the glint in his eyes and smiled devilishly. 'You really want to find out?...Where's your boy Sheriff? Not alone in that death trap you call home I hope' she said maliciously, allowing her darkness to flow through her veins.

Lucas narrowed his eyes at her and regarded her carefully. Part of him wanted to take her on right here; however, he did not fully understand her darkness yet and he still suspected forces within his property were aiding her. 'I don't take kindly to threats against my boy Miss Emory. Besides, he ain't just my relation...or have you forgotten that?' he asked, knowing her darkness had something against the boy and reminding her of her responsibilities.

Gail laughed and shook her head. 'I'm not threatening you Lucas, it's just an observation is all...I've told you on many occasions that I don't trust him at your property without me, it's not my fault if something was to happen to him when you discarded my concerns '

Lucas stood tall dominantly and stared deep into her eyes, he could feel how excited his twin was even though there was an underlying threat to his boy and he could not deny that this side of her intrigued him. 'You're welcome to join us Gail...' he offered charmingly, '...You know I want you both'

Gail took a step closer to him so their bodies were almost touching, then licked her lips suggestively. She feigned innocence and smiled sweetly at his statement. 'Well isn't that nice of you, wanting a proper family with Caleb and I...It's a shame you didn't see our child in the same light as you see him, I guess Saint Judy must've had something that I don't' she whispered with a hint of venom in her tone.

Lucas inhaled deeply and sensed her darkness flowing through her, this was not his Love's words and he had to tread carefully here. 'I'm not the one who drank myself into a stupor and tried to kill myself with our unborn child inside of me. I'm also not the one who wanted to get rid of him Gail...Don't aim your bitterness or blame at me just because I made one comment to wind-up your dead cousin. I'd just been dug up after being buried alive, don't presume you know what my true feelings were on the subject'

Gail took a step back and regarded Lucas curiously, then forced her darkness to pull back. When she had full control of herself again, she remembered about Mark. 'I'm not going to tell you again Lucas' she said choosing to disregard talk of their unborn child, she was still devastated over what had happened and did not want to dredge up the matter again.

Lucas sighed, sensing her darkness had been tamed and stepped closer to the rail. He peered into the river below and smiled to himself at his actions. 'Don't you worry your pretty little head about that Editor of yours Darlin', although I suspect an ambulance may be required about half a mile down the river'

Gail shook her head and pulled out her mobile telephone. 'You're a bastard' she said calmly then began to dial the hospital.

Lucas laughed and started to walk back towards his car. 'Make sure you grab us some food on your way home Darlin', us boys are starvin'' he said smugly. He did not have to turn around to know she was infuriated and smiled at the thought of disarming her fury later.

-To be continued-


	3. Chapter 3

Caleb walked into the classroom full of children with his head lowered, attempting to sneak to his desk unnoticed by Miss Coombs. He was late as he had chosen to walk to school rather than wake Gail or Lucas up, they had both been in a strange mood the previous night and he had wanted to allow them to sleep in with the hopes they would awake more amicable.

Caleb had not thought this through properly as the Buck Mansion was father away from his school than his current residence and that had resulted in his lateness now. Miss Coombs had been on edge lately and had warned him that he had used up all of his chances with her; therefore, he concentrated hard on his desire not to get caught, made his way to his desk and sat down quietly.

He smiled to himself when he somehow appeared to have been unnoticed by any of his classmates and felt a soft pulse resonating from deep within him. Caleb had been focusing more on the strange sensation within him recently and somehow knew this had allowed him to remain unnoticed upon entry into the classroom. Although he should be wary of it, he was intrigued and wanted to test what he could do with this power; however, he knew this was not the place or the time for that type of experiment.

Selena felt a strange sensation, as though someone had walked over her grave and she turned to face the class. Her eyes fixed on Caleb Temple who she could have sworn she had not seen earlier. 'Nice of you to join us Caleb' she scolded.

'What are you talking ?' Boone asked curiously.

'Yeah, Caleb came in with us earlier' Josh advised.

Selena looked from Boone to Josh, then back at Caleb suspiciously. Something was not right here but she could not put her finger on it. She glanced around the class and noticed all the children were staring at her confused. She gave herself a mental shake and put not noticing Caleb earlier down to the stress she was under with Billy's situation, then turned back towards the black board and continued writing some sums for the class to complete.

Caleb looked towards his friends and smiled, somehow he knew they truly believed he came in with them and he was proud of what he had just done. He was now even more intrigued with the strange feeling within him and could not wait to test it out further.

* * *

Lucas awoke from his slumber when his minds eye felt something strange come over his boy, he stretched his senses until he located Caleb in school and suspected he had just done something he was not supposed to. Lucas rolled over in his bed and placed his arm tenderly around Gail, he had expected her to have stormed out early this morning which would have allowed him to take his boy to school; however, here she was still sound asleep.

Between his boys increasing curiosity with himself and Gail using her darkness to defy him whenever she could, he had his hands full. If he focused on Caleb for too long, Gail would pull away from him and if he concentrated his attention on his Love he would lose his hold on the boy. He was in an impossible position at this current time and he needed to find a way to have the best of all possible worlds.

Lucas stroked Gail's stomach softly as she lay on her back comfortably and watched as she subconsciously pushed herself further into his touch. When she lay here so peacefully he could almost forget about her blatant defiance...almost. Lucas moved his hand gently under her vest and ran his fingers over her bare breasts, when his Love let out a soft moan that was all the authorization that he needed and he moved underneath the bed sheets.

Gail's eyes shot open when she felt something move between her legs, then the realization of where she was and who she was with sunk in. She let out a quiet moan when his tongue began to play with her and gripped the sheets tight in her hands as the intense bursts of pleasure began to flow through her body.

She allowed him to continue with this act and moaned loudly when she felt his tongue enter her. She had been so mad at him recently that she had not allowed him to touch her properly for what seemed like forever; therefore, his instinctive movements did not take long to cause her to unravel and she called out his name as her climax came.

Lucas smiled when he heard his name on her lips and nipped teasingly at her sweet spot, he had expected her to stand her ground and deny him the pleasure he craved; however, surprisingly she had not attempted to push him away. He took this opportunity to remind her of what she truly wanted from him and kissed the inside of her thighs softly, before slowly running his lips up her body. He stopped for a moment when he reached her breasts then licked and sucked her nipple gently and removed her vest, he sensed her desire for him but he would not be rushed.

Gail could sense his smugness and cursed herself for being so easily controlled, especially after his antics of the previous night. She would not allow him to have the upper hand here; therefore, she disregarded her enjoyment of his lips on her breasts and pushed him off of her, she maneuvered herself on top of him and pinned his arms above his head.

Lucas allowed himself to be controlled and feigned a hurt look. 'And here I was thinkin' you were happy for me to do all the work Darlin'' he said sarcastically.

Gail shook her head slowly and smiled. 'I decide what we do and when'

'Oh is that so?' he asked, then freed his hands effortlessly and rolled her over onto her back. He pushed her legs open with his knees, moved his face close to hers then stared deeply into her eyes. He could sense her irritation at being so easily controlled; however, her desire radiated off of her.

Gail stared into his eyes defiantly, she knew this was him showing her who was boss and she resented the fact that this was so easy for him. In an attempt to regain some control she reached down and stroked his manhood, then smiled when she witnessed his large intake of breath. She positioned his manhood at her entrance, then wrapped her legs around his waist. 'What are you waiting for Sheriff?' she asked sweetly, then called out his name when he thrust his manhood inside of her.

Lucas had wanted to tease her for a little longer; however, he could not resist being so close to her sweet spot and cursed himself for playing into her hands as he thrust deep within her. The intense pleasure that shot through him as she closed in around his manhood was almost too much and he forced his lips onto hers. He sensed she wanted him hard but he would not allow her to dictate the pace and kept his movements gentle. The slow movements would punish him as much as her but he would remain in control.

Gail kissed his passionately and savored the taste of his tongue in her mouth, she clawed her nails down his bare back and smiled when she heard his loud moans. She could not stand it when he chose to take her this slow; however, she knew better than to argue and allowed him to take her how he wanted. She panted as he pushed deep within her and nipped at his neck with her teeth, while he trailed his lips over her neck.

Lucas could sense their climax building so he took her hands and pinned them over her head, then forced his lips on hers to ensure she could not speak. This was the time she usually found a way to goad him into speeding up his movements; however, he was enjoying their closeness and he would not allow her to rush this. He smiled when she allowed him continue at his slow, relentless pace and released her hands when their climax finally hit.

Gail tangled her fingers in his hair and pulled his lips to hers more forcefully. As her release came she bit down on his bottom lip and smiled when he called out her name when he erupted inside of her. She allowed him to lay on her chest with his manhood still inside of her, while she tried to catch her breath. Suddenly she became aware that Caleb had stayed over and she tried to push him off her, ashamed at the noise they had made.

Lucas sensed her worry and pushed her down effortlessly. 'Calm down Love...the boy's long gone to school' he said, laying back down on her chest and inhaling deeply to slow his heart rate.

Gail closed her eyes and shook her head, she should have been more aware of her cousins location. 'Did you take him?' she asked, as she allowed herself to relax.

Lucas let out a small laugh and kissed her chest. 'Do I look like I'm in a decent enough attire to be leaving my residence with a child Miss Emory?'

Gail sighed and tugged at his hair gently in a mock scolding manner. 'Well I'd hoped you had a plan of getting him to school safely, seen as you tricked him into wanting to stay here' she accused.

Lucas cupped her breast in his hand and squeezed it teasingly, then looked up into her eyes. 'Firstly, I don't have to trick that boy into doin' anythin' Darlin' and secondly, technically his legal guardian should be ensuring his safety with his everyday activities' he said sarcastically.

Gail rolled her eyes, pushed him off of her then got out of the bed and stretched. She felt strange and could hear the faint whisper of something calling her; therefore, she chose to put some distance between her and Lucas incase he sensed a change in her.

Lucas watched Gail closely as she began searching through the spare clothes she had left in his wardrobe for something to wear, she did not appear to have taken offence at his comment; however, she was clearly pulling away from him. He sat up as she pulled on a short beige floral dress and slipped on a pair of sandals. 'You know, it wouldn't take much for you to move all your stuff into here to make it easier for you to get ready in the mornin'...hell, you could even stay here permanently and we could wake up this way every mornin'' he suggested nonchalantly.

Gail had heard this offer more times than she cared to acknowledge and usually she would not entertain the suggestion; however, she wanted to get out of here due to the strange calling she was feeling, so she just laughed and put on her sweetest smile. 'Release Billy Peele today and I just might take you up on that offer' she said unlike herself, then shot him a wink as she left the room.

Lucas watched her curiously as she exited his bedroom, this was the first time she had even hinted that she would consider his offer and he was unsure what to make of it. What he did know is that he had dragged his heels as long as he could with Billy-boy and it was about time he decided what to do with the moron.

* * *

Merlyn sat with Abe in his Antique Store, attempting to play chess. She never got to play any games when she was growing up and Abe had taken it upon himself to teach her how to play this game of strategy. He had hinted that she could use the skill with her day to day life and she suspected he meant with Lucas Buck. Merlyn had once again stayed alone in Gail's house last night and was past being annoyed at the behavior of her family, she had been glad for the peace and quiet anyway.

'Come on girl, what's your move?' Abe snapped, he was becoming impatient with this girls lack of interest in the game.

'I'm thinkin'!' Merlyn snapped back, not really thinking about the game at all. She found her mind always wandered to either her family or Matt these days and it was hard for her to concentrate on anything else.

'By the time you finish thinking I'll have grey hair' Gail said walking into the room and smiled at her Uncle Abe.

Abe smiled at his Rosie and watched as she stood over the board with a contemplating look on her face. 'You wanna sit in for the girl?' he asked expectantly, he always loved spending time with his Rosie.

Gail signaled for Merlyn to get up from the chair, then sat down. She took note of all the players on the board, then moved a pawn without even thinking. 'Your move Uncle' she said and winked at Merlyn, who was watching her suspiciously.

Merlyn sensed something different in her cousin and it made her nervous, Gail had not hesitated in picking which pawn she would move and she had a cunning look on her face that Merlyn did not care for.

Abe considered his options for a while, his Rosie was more attuned to the way this game should be played and he knew she had a strategic side. Her cunning and intelligence was one of the reasons he did not worry about her being with Lucas, if his old friend tried to corrupt her in any way she would become wise to it. After much consideration, he moved a bishop closer to her king.

Gail smiled and shook her head, then moved a knight and took Abe's bishop. 'Come on Uncle, you're making this way too easy now' she goaded playfully.

Abe groaned in disapproval and tried to concentrate on his next move, this was his game and he would not be distracted by a less experienced player.

Gail turned her attention to Merlyn while Abe was considering his next move, she had been happy to see her cousin had come to work when she had been left alone all night. Considering the girl was a teenager, she was very responsible and Gail was lucky to have it so easy with her. 'You want to help me with something?' she asked, then glanced at the board to see Abe move his knight and take one of her pawns.

Merlyn watched Gail move her bishop without a second thought, then turn her attention back to her. 'I'll help if Abe doesn't need me' she shrugged, then smiled when Abe took Gail's knight.

'Uncle Abe doesn't need you, he's too busy trying to figure out how he just got beaten by a girl...' Gail goaded, then moved a pawn into position. '...Checkmate' she laughed and stood up from the table.

'What? No it ain't, you sit back down Rosie and...' Abe began, then realized there was nowhere he could move which would get his king out of the firing line.

Gail smiled, then leaned down and placed a soft kiss on Abe's cheek. 'We'll have a rematch at another time, now I'm going to borrow the girl for the rest of the day...Take care Uncle' she laughed, then led Merlyn out of the store and left Abe to attempt to figure out what had just happened.

-To be continued-


	4. Chapter 4

Lucas walked out of his office and into the cells, whistling as he ran a metal pen over the bars. It amused him to no end watching Billy Peele rot in one of his cells, he always enjoyed witnessing people who deemed themselves as mighty fall and this was a close second to Harvard being locked up in Juniper.

Billy sat with his back against the wall staring up at the ceiling, Lucas noted how the man was attempting to look as though he was not fazed by his current predicament; however, Lucas knew the truth and it was killing Billy-boy knowing he was powerless to stop whatever happened next. 'How are you keepin' Doc? I hope my Deputies are treatin' you well'

Billy inhaled deeply in an attempt to push down his irritation, he had been feeling calmer after his visit from Gail; however, the sound of Lucas' voice had instantly put him on edge. 'What's happening with my trial Buck?' he asked, ignoring the previous question.

Lucas laughed, he could sense Billy's irritation and it only made this all the more satisfying. 'You know the law system is a tricky thing, who knows how long it will take to assemble a jury to enable your trial to move forward...It's a good thing that there's more than enough space for you here while you await this long process to be completed'

Billy stood up and approached the cell door. 'Why are you doing this? I haven't done anything to you and I was just minding my own business trying to better that mental asylum'

'You see that's just it Billy-boy...' Lucas said leaning closer to his once adversary, '...This is my town and you don't get to decide what changes need to take place. Juniper was fine how it was, then you waltz in after my Love decided you were the best candidate to take up the Head Doctor position...Did you really think there wouldn't be consequences?'

Billy sighed and shook his head. 'You know I never wanted that position Buck'

'Oh but you took it didn't you? All Gail had to do was wear a short little number and flash you a sweet smile, then you were convinced it was the best way forward for you...I gave you a chance and I even warned you about what she was plannin', against my better judgement' Lucas advised and watched as the hope disappeared from Billy's eyes.

'So that's it? You just keep me locked up here forever and expect everyone to be alright with that?' Billy asked, sensing he was getting nowhere.

Lucas laughed and shrugged. 'Forever is a pretty long time Doc, I'd just focus on the now if I were you...Ben would be a little pissed at first, but in the end he knows where his loyalty lies. Selena will go about her usual business sooner or later, it's not in her nature to dwell on things for long so I'd say most people would be alright with whatever I planned'

'And Gail?...' Billy asked, '...You think she'll just accept this? Something tells me she has other plans in mind'

The smile on Lucas' face faded and he moved closer to the cell. 'What do you know about her plans?' he asked, releasing his twin to delve into the mans subconscious and rip out any knowledge he may have.

Billy felt a sharp intruding pain in his head. He was about to yell out when a flash of light surged through his brain and the intrusive feeling disappeared.

Lucas watched in annoyance as his twin was propelled from Billy and he felt a dull pain in his head. Whatever Gail had told him was protected and Lucas was not impressed with this barrier.

Billy laughed, then turned around and headed back to his bed. 'Get out Buck...It's torture enough in here without having to look at your face any longer'

Lucas laughed and shook his head, he applauded Billy's efforts for trying to project some strength in this situation; however, he knew it was all just for show. 'Is that any way to talk to the man who could release you? I guess you need longer to think about who's boss around here'

Billy closed his eyes and clenched his fists in anger, but took a deep breath and focused on Gail's previous words. 'Good day Sheriff' he said calmly, then sat back down and rested his head on the back wall.

* * *

Matt walked down the long corridor in Fulton County General Hospital smiling at nurses and residents as he passed them. He was on his way to his next patient but all he could think about was if he was going to see M tonight and what they could do to pass the time. The girl was a breath of fresh air in this cursed town and she appeared untouched by it's darkness. He should not be allowing himself to enjoy the company of someone so young; however, he was drawn to her light and it was hard to get her out of his mind.

'Whoa there Doc, I'd be careful of those thoughts considerin' the age of consent in my town' Lucas said smugly as he leaned against a patients door casually.

Matt sighed and glanced down at the chart he was holding, to find the door Lucas was leaning against was in fact his next patients room. 'And here I thought we'd turned a corner and you'd stopped hounding me Sheriff' Matt said sarcastically.

'Oh Harvard, I thought you'd have learned by now that I'll never stop houndin' you...After all, you were the biggest pain in my ass before a little angel chose to tame you' Lucas laughed as Matt's cheeks glowed red.

Matt could feel his cheeks burning and took a deep breath to hide his annoyance. 'What do you want here Lucas? I thought you'd have better things to do with your time than hang around a hospital'

Lucas smiled, he respected Harvard once and he could sense the mans old fire returning. It may not be long before he fell back into his old defiant ways and Lucas looked forward to the enjoyment he would inevitably get in putting the man back in his place. 'Actually I came to check in on your next patient Doc, Gail's Editor had an accident last night' Lucas said as he pushed himself off the door and allowed Matt to open it.

Matt stared at the unconscious man on the bed, this was Gail's Editor Mark and he began to wonder why Lucas was so interested in visiting him.

'Well Harvard, I had expected my Love to be here by her boss' side but I suppose I'll have to make do with your company instead' Lucas said reading his mind.

Matt pushed away Lucas' presence from his mind, then read Mark's chart and began to examine the unconscious man. The details of the accident were vague and just stated that he had been found in the Trinity river. Mark's vitals were fine, it just appeared that his body was in shock and he was yet to wake up fully from the trauma.

'What are his chances Doc?' Lucas asked knowingly, he had ensured Mark was found promptly to prevent any permanent damage.

'He'll be fine, no doubt thanks to you' Matt replied, suspecting Lucas has something to do with the accident.

'If my Love does come showing concern for her boss, be sure to send her my way won't you Harvard?' Lucas laughed and turned to leave the room.

Matt shook his head and bit his lip to stop himself from saying something he would regret later. It was not for him to get involved in whatever game Gail and Lucas were playing, so he just focused on attending to his patient like he was expected to do.

* * *

Merlyn walked carefully in the woods surrounding the mysterious cabin that Gail was so fascinated with. She had watched as her cousin approach the front door cautiously, then she stopped a few yards from the door and just stared at it. Merlyn had not wanted to come here; however, Gail convinced her that she was the only one who could help her if this visit went awry, so she felt obliged to accompany her.

Merlyn understood that Gail was intrigued by the mysterious dark haired woman who had previously been following her, and who also appeared to be her twin. She also knew her cousins nature would not allow her to forget about all that she had witnessed; however, this path was dangerous and Merlyn did not have her full powers back to intervene should something turn against them here. She had grown tired of warning Gail about the consequences of her actions and had chosen to explore the cabins perimeter, to allow herself some time to ponder over the matter at hand.

Merlyn found her mind wandering to Lucas Buck and what he would make of all of this. He clearly knew something was different with Gail and rather than finding a way to dispel the dark presence within her he appeared to be content with ignoring it's existence, that was her take on things anyway. She suspected he was intrigued by the questionable presence which showed it's existence every so often, he was filled with darkness himself and she supposed this could be what drew him to Gail in the first place; however, Lucas did not understand fully what was going on here, neither of them did and Merlyn suspected that the darkness inside her cousin would continue to grow the more she learned about it.

The dark haired twin of her cousin appeared suddenly in front of her face and made her halt, the malicious look on it's face indicated it did not like Merlyn; however, she stood her ground knowing it could not make a move against her while Gail was in the vicinity. She stared at the woman's pale skin and blood red lips for a moment, wondering why she had chosen to make herself known to her and suddenly felt another pair of eyes on her. Merlyn turned around slightly, not taking her eyes fully off the figure before her and noticed Gail stood close to the cabin door with her arms folded across her chest.

'Oh now you notice me...I've only been calling your name half a dozen times' Gail said in an unimpressed tone.

Merlyn sighed and began to walk towards her cousin, she must have been too deep in thought to hear Gail's calls and she scolded herself for not being more aware of her surrounding. 'Are you done now? Can we go home?' Merlyn asked, not holding out much hope for the answer she wanted.

'I'm not even going to dignify that with an answer...' Gail laughed and turned her attention back towards the cabin door, '...I need you to wait right here, can you do that for me?'

Merlyn glanced towards the direction she had just come from and saw the dark haired woman smile at her grimly, she could not control the unnerving shiver that ran through her body and turned her attention back towards her cousin. 'Of course I can do that, but where will you be?' she asked curiously.

Gail smiled and placed a reassuring hand on Merlyn's shoulder. 'You just stay here and don't follow me unless I call for you' she warned, then reached for the door handle and opened the cabin door.

A musty smell was released when the door flew open, which made both woman step back subconsciously. Merlyn instantly sensed something dark within the cabin and reached for Gail's arm, but her cousin shrugged off her attempt then took a deep breath and entered the cabin. Gail took a few cautious steps forward into the cabin and Merlyn jumped as the door slammed shut when her cousin was clear of it, appearing to shut out any attempt to keep an eye on her cousin. This caused another involuntary shiver to come over her.

Merlyn looked towards the spot where the dark haired woman had been a few moments earlier and saw she had disappeared. She took a step forward to ensure she was stood in the exact spot Gail had told her to and let out a long sigh. 'God help us all in this damned place' she whispered and prayed her cousin would make it out of this place in one piece.

* * *

Lucas was sat with Ben in the Sheriff's Station completing a crossword puzzle, when a dark shadow momentarily crossed over his mind. He had a faint sense of being called by Merlyn Ann; however, that girl would never allow herself to stoop to a level where she required his help and the thought made him laugh out loud. Suddenly unease began to flow through his body and he stood up, setting the crossword puzzle to one side.

Ben looked up from his newspaper and stared at Lucas cautiously. 'Is everythin' alright Lucas? You look like you've seen a ghost'

Lucas glanced at Ben and shook his head, everything was no alright but he could not figure out why. He opened his minds eye to locate Merlyn Ann, when he could not sense her at her job with Abe he attempted to locate Gail; however, both of them had clearly teamed up and appeared to be eluding him. This defiance was really beginning to anger him and he did not take well to being kept in the dark. It was about time he created a team of his own to counteract whatever they were up to.

Ben watched as Lucas walked around the counter, picked up his car keys from his jacket pocket and left the Sheriff's Station without saying a word. Ben waited a moment to ensure Lucas was not coming back and decided to make a quick visit to the cells while he was alone, to check in on his friend.

-To be continued-


	5. Chapter 5

Caleb tapped his fingers on the desk impatiently, waiting for the end of day bell to ring. Miss Coombs had spent a whole day going over the importance of mathematics in daily life and had made them all copy out 20 sums for homework to be completed by tomorrow. Caleb had no time for homework, especially to do with mathematics and he rushed out of class as soon as the bell rang.

Caleb slowed down when he exited the building and started to walk off the school grounds, when he spotted the navy blue Crown Victoria parked in the car park. He smiled and walked over to the passenger side, then entered the car without hesitation.

'You're not even gonna ask what I'm doin' here?' Lucas asked amused at his sons obedience.

'Nope...' Caleb said throwing his bag on the back seat, '...I'm just assumin' you're takin' me out patrollin' with you'

Lucas laughed and shook his head, 'Not today son...I have another activity in mind and I need your help with it'

Caleb looked at Lucas intrigued, it was not often the man asked him for help and it made him feel important. 'What could you possibly need me for?' he asked.

Lucas smiled and patted his boy on the shoulder reassuringly. 'Well, let's just say I have a thorn in my paw and you're gonna help me locate it' he winked at Caleb and started up the engine.

* * *

Gail stood silently in the musty cabin, taken aback by how well kept the place appeared. After the door had slammed shut behind her, she was wary of moving and decided to take in her surroundings fully before choosing to move on to a different room.

She felt her heart racing, she had finally entered this place and now she was at a loss as to what she should do next. Her past self stood in the doorway which appeared to lead to a dark corridor and Gail knew she wanted her to follow her. This whole thing was crazy; however, she had allowed herself to be distracted by everything that was happening in the outside world and it was about time she regained her focus on the important things that could affect her.

Gail took a deep breath in an attempt to control her heart rate and moved slowly towards her past self, the woman smiled at her barring her sharp teeth then turned around and started to head down the dark corridor. Gail followed cautiously being alert to everything that surrounded her, she was fully aware that she was on her own in here and she needed to be ready in case anything happened.

Her past self stopped in front of a room, then disappeared. Gail approached the door slowly and carefully turned the door handle to reveal a large bedroom, she was surprised at the clean condition of the white sheets that lay neatly on the bed and entered the room fully. She recognized this room from a vision she had experienced previously and the large fireplace opposite the bed was unmistakable.

Without thinking she lay down on the bed and closed her eyes, her unease began to fade away and she allowed herself to take in the comfort this room projected. This felt like a safe private place just for her and it had been here for decades without being found. She could sense that this was her place, it belonged to her and it's secret was hers to keep. She had trusted Merlyn with this secret as she felt they were connected in a special way and she knew the girl would not betray her confidence. In fact she was confident that Merlyn shared a lot of the traits she did and it would not take long for the girl to want to understand this place better, as she had a curious nature just like her.

Gail realized she was getting distracted with others again and tried to clear her mind, she reached her hand to place comfortably underneath the pillow to support her head and felt something hard which caused her to sit upright. Gail glanced at the pillow suspiciously then threw it aside to reveal a worn, battered book. She picked up the book gently and carefully opened it, upon reading a few lines she had no doubt that this was someones diary and she felt her stomach turn over at the thought of who it belonged to.

Gail did not need to see her past self reappear to know this book belonged to her, she glanced at her past self who stood silent by the window and a feeling of sorrow came over her at the thought of what had happened to her. She had witnessed her past self being murdered, had even experienced it and for what? What could she have possibly done to deserve that fate? and what did all of this have to do with Lucas? There were too many unanswered questions and although part of her wanted to put the diary back where she had found it, a bigger part of her needed to know; therefore, she placed the diary carefully into her bag, then got up and walked towards her past self.

The woman before her was like nothing she had ever seen before, her pale skin and sharp teeth gave her an evil look; however, Gail was not scared and she refused to believe someone she was somehow connected to could be so evil. She stood face to face with the woman staring deep into her hazel eyes, she wanted to ask her so many questions but she could not speak. Suddenly the woman pushed her hard and she fell back onto the bed, her past self barred her teeth once more in a vicious manner and began to stalk her.

Gail sensed the dark change in the atmosphere and stood up quickly, then backed up out of the room. She did not understand what caused the sudden change until a bolt of pain pierced through her brain and she felt the urge to run.

* * *

Caleb surveyed his surroundings curiously, he had never been this deep into the woods by the river as their usual spot only had a few trees surrounding the area and he was intrigued as to why Lucas would bring him here.

'Let's just say this a little game...your sister is playin' hide and seek and your job is to locate her' Lucas said reading his mind. He knew Caleb did not stand a chance at locating Gail; however, no matter how close his Love felt to Merlyn Ann, the girls bond would always be stronger with her brother.

Caleb glanced at Lucas suspiciously then shrugged, he trusted his father and Merlyn should not be this deep into the woods on her own so late in the evening anyway; therefore, he was happy to play along. 'Alright, I'm game...but this place is so big, I dunno how I'm supposed to find her'

Lucas smiled and placed his hands on his boys shoulders gently. 'Son, all you gotta do is open your mind...the girls in your family believe you're weak, they think they can run the show here but I know you're more powerful than both of them'

Caleb nodded, it felt good to have his fathers faith in him and he would not let him down. He had noticed both Gail and Merlyn did not appear to include him in anything important anymore, they kept a lot of secrets and if Lucas was right it was because they thought he was weak. He would show them now and he remembered how his father had taught him previously.

Lucas took a step back and watched as Caleb closed his eyes. He knew the boy was concentrating hard to locate his desired target and he was proud that his boy had paid attention to the few times he had taught him how to use his gift. This was a dangerous game he was playing, as Caleb could discover his desire for power and turn the way he had previously; however, Lucas was confident he could control him and he was not as confident in his ability to control his Love at this moment in time.

Sweat began to form on Caleb's forehead and his breath hastened. Caleb concentrated hard and envisioned Merlyn in his mind, he thought of her in her pretty white dress then discarded that thought and concentrated on her wearing her favorite color red. Suddenly he could see her in a cropped pair of jeans and pale red vest, he sensed this had been her chosen outfit for work as she liked to dress casual when working in the Antique Store. Her figure began to become more clear in his mind and he sensed her close to a building.

When his eyes opened and his breaths became slower, Lucas put his arm around his shoulder. 'Lead the way son' he smiled and followed the boy closely as he began to walk with purpose.

They walked deeper into the woods for approximately 15 minutes when Lucas felt something dark in the air. He smiled to himself sensing his Love was near, but then stopped when Caleb appeared frozen on the spot. 'Which way son?' he asked eagerly.

Caleb wanted to continue forward; however, he felt an intrusion in his mind and he could not shake it. 'This way' he said turning left and continued to follow his instincts, with Lucas close behind. There was a clearing up ahead and he rushed to it, then smiled when he saw the river.

'What in god's name are you doing here?' Gail asked, standing up from her seated position and placing her sandwich back inside the picnic basket beside them. She had deciphered her past self's warning and released her darkness to shield the cabin further from interfering minds.

Lucas caught up to Caleb and watched suspiciously as the boy ran down to his family and hugged his cousin. There was something wrong here; however, his boy had in fact led him to their missing ladies so he could not be mad.

'Found you!' Caleb yelled after hugging Gail and ran towards Merlyn, who had not bothered to get up.

Gail turned towards Lucas and smiled smugly. 'I wasn't aware we were missing' she said sweetly, taking satisfaction from his look of confusion.

Lucas approached her and stood over her dominantly. 'You did something'

'Who me?...' she asked sarcastically, '...As you've pointed out on many occasions, no one can do anything in your town without you knowing'

Lucas inhaled deeply and shook his head, then glanced at Merlyn who appeared to be avoiding eye contact with him. 'You're right Miss Emory, I think I might just go and have a little chat with your dead cousin...maybe she has something she'd like to confess'

Gail sensed Merlyn's nervousness and her guard came up. 'You could do that...or you could follow me further into the woods while my dependents are busy with each other and we can continue what you started this morning' she suggested and began to saunter towards the trees.

Lucas sighed and shook his head, 'Well who am I to turn down an offer like that?' he said charmingly and followed her as she led him away from the children.

* * *

Matt sat on Gail's porch steps waiting for somebody to return. He had expected a visit from M and when she had not showed up by the end of his shift he became concerned; therefore, he had been waiting here for over an hour to make sure she was alright. He let out a relieved sigh when the red Mustang pulled up and M exited the car with Caleb.

Merlyn spotted Matt instantly and rushed over to him. 'Are you OK?' she asked concerned, he did not come here often these days and she was worried at his sudden appearance.

'Oh he's fine...' Gail started before Matt could answer, '...He's just concerned as I kept you out all day and you two couldn't have your usual secret gathering'

Matt could hear the scolding undertone in Gail's voice and turned his attention towards Caleb to hide his embarrassment. 'How are you Caleb? I've not seen much of you recently'

Caleb shrugged, Matt had not wanted to spend time with him recently and he resented the fact that he was trying to fake care now. 'I've been spendin' time with my father...speakin' of which, I want to stay with him tonight' he said defiantly and turned towards Gail.

Gail saw the hurt look on Matt's face and rolled her eyes at Caleb's lack of consideration. All she wanted to do was to read the diary she had managed to hide from Lucas; however, here she was back to the usual drama and distractions in her life. 'You're not staying without me and Lucas knows what he needs to do to convince me to stay more often'

'Besides, since when is it OK to leave me alone?' Merlyn added, not appreciating Caleb upsetting Matt.

'You're a big girl Missy...' Lucas said as he approached the group, '...since when do you need supervision?'

Merlyn sighed and looked at Gail, 'You don't think we've spent enough time with him already today?' she asked moodily.

'I ain't and I wanna stay at his place' Caleb interjected and turned back towards his cousin.

Gail could feel the darkness within her rising as her anger began to set in. Her day was going fine and she did not have the patience for this childish behavior, when she had finally managed to get somewhere with her investigation.

Lucas sensed Gail's darkness becoming stronger and smiled, her anger was always his way in and for once it was not directed at him. 'Calm down the both of you...' he ordered happy to assist his Lover, '...I'm sure Harvard here wouldn't mind babysittin' our little angel if the boy wanted to sleep over again tonight'

'Once a week was our deal Sheriff' Gail reminded, not falling for Lucas' attempted assistance.

'Well it's a good job I took you up on your earlier suggestion Miss Emory' Lucas smiled cunningly and signaled towards his car.

Ben stepped out and opened the back passenger side to reveal Billy Peele sitting without handcuffs.

Gail sighed and shook her head, she had not expected Lucas to drop his upper hand so quickly and she had opened the door for a new deal with her earlier comment to him. 'You're an ass' she said and walked into her house without addressing anyone else.

Lucas laughed and turned towards his boy. 'Go get your things son, I do believe you're stayin' over at my place again tonight'

Merlyn shook her head in disgust at the evil man before her and led Matt into the house, she did not know what was happening; however, she sensed he had won this round.

Lucas smiled and walked back towards his car. 'Come on Billy-boy, let's get you back to our lovely school Teacher so I can commence with my evening activities' he said smugly and drove away from the house.

Gail returned to the porch just in time to watch the navy blue Crown Victoria pull away and tried to push down her irritation.

'You're gonna just let him win?' Merlyn asked judgmentally.

Gail laughed and shook her head, 'He's not won anything, but we'll let him think he has for now' she said and returned back indoors.

-The End-


End file.
